Chapter Fourteen
Chief Skaggs stormed through the door of the police department, alternating between shouting, muttering, and cursing. Unprecedented actions for the man beloved and respected by his entire force.
He stomped to his office and slammed his door shut.
Connor, standing in the break room, turned to Jake. “What in the world was that all about.”
“No idea.” Jake, who had worked at the department for a decade, appeared stunned. “I’ve never seen him like that.”
“Should we check on him?”
Jake shook his head. “Leave him be to work out whatever it is. If he needs us, he’ll let us know.”
“If you say so.” Not convinced, Connor didn’t know what to think. He took a long gulp of lukewarm coffee.
Misha, one of the dispatchers, came in carrying a lunch bag. “Did you all see Chief?”
“Yes, we did.” Jake glanced out of the room, toward the chief’s office. “Do you know what that was about?”
“No. I know he had to be in court this morning for a case. I’m assuming it didn’t go well, but he’s had other cases that didn’t go well and never acted like this.” Misha’s face contorted with worry. “Someone should check on him.”
“Not it,” they all three said at once.
“I think it’s best to let him be,” Jake said, echoing his advice to Connor.
Within minutes, five more officers and two more detectives came in the breakroom, all concerned over the chief’s behavior.
Before any decisions were finalized Chief Skaggs left his office and found them in the breakroom. “I’m sorry for coming in here like I did. As your chief, I should have set a better example.”
“Is everything okay?” Patrolman Jacobs asked.
“It will be.” Chief directed his gaze toward Connor. “I want to see you in my office. Now.”
Connor heard the whispers around him, and he grimaced. What had he done to get called to the principal’s office? At least that’s what it felt like was happening. Not that he’d had to go often, but there had been that time in eleventh grade when Jamie Douglas had fallen asleep in class, and Connor had drawn a snoring man on his face.
Chief turned on a heel and walked back to his office, his demeanor more subdued then when he’d stormed through ten minutes ago.
Nervously, Connor followed. He was one of the newer guys on the force, but he hadn’t done anything wrong, not that he was aware of. Nor did he have any inside enemies that he knew of. So far, all the men and women of the Mansboro Police Department seemed to work together, truly having one another’s backs.
Once they were both in the office, Chief closed the door behind them. “Have a seat, Dempsey.”
Uh oh. It couldn’t be good if Chief was using his last name. “What’s going on?”
Chief sat on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed over his barrel chest. “I just came from court after having to sit through a hearing before my case.”
“I assume things didn’t go well?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this, so I’ll just say it. Brad Abrams was freed on a technicality today.” Every muscle on the chief’s face tightened. “There will be a retrial, but until then, he’s a free man.”
Though trained not to show emotion, Connor felt the blood drain from his face. “There’s a restraining order still in place, though, right?”
“Yes, but you and I both know how little good they can do. I’m glad you told me about your girlfriend’s past so I could give you the head’s up.” Chief ran a hand through his hair. “Sometimes I wonder why we put our lives on the line to catch the criminals only for the courts to set them free.”
“Justice will be served. We have to have faith.” The pit in his stomach didn’t match his optimistic tone. “Has anyone told Tiffany?”
“The victim’s advocate is supposed to contact her within twenty-four hours, preferably sooner.”
“Do you think she’s safe?”
